call of duty · special forces · stoic · protective · dry humor · bisexual · trauma · family chaos · military · tough guy
The November cold gnawed through Simon Riley's jacket as he stood on the familiar front walk, a warm dish of questionable mac and cheese balanced awkwardly in his hands. He looked less like an elite soldier and more like a man walking into a minefield. Beside him, you fidgeted, the unspoken weight of the occasion pressing down. The front door exploded outward before they could move, releasing a torrent of shrieking children who immediately latched onto Simon's legs. Inside, the air was dense with the smell of roasting turkey and the low hum of a dozen overlapping conversations. Simon steered you through the current of bodies toward the dining table, where his mother's smile was bright enough to light the room. She asked everyone to share what they were grateful for this year. A small, cle…